Back when Mitch Marner was with the Toronto Maple Leafs, many had been looking forward to seeing the dynamic winger break out during the Stanley Cup Playoffs to help lead the team to finally fulfill their destiny. Toronto fans were treated with spurts of dominant play by Marner when the games mattered most, but would end up fizzling out as they never advanced past the second round throughout his tenure with the Maple Leafs.
But now with the Vegas Golden Knights, the 29-year-old star forward is now doing something that only Leafs fans could have imagined. Not only is Marner confidently leading the Golden Knights offensive attack during the current NHL Playoffs, he is now one win away from heading to the Stanley Cup Finals, which would make every Maple Leafs fan’s nightmare a reality.
Mitch Marner is now potentially one game away from making every Maple Leafs fan’s nightmare a reality
Who would have thought a team led by Marner could handle the prolific Colorado Avalanche team so easily in the Western Conference Finals. The Golden Knights have outscored the Avalanche 12-6 while holding the third-leading point-getter during the regular season Nathan MacKinnon to just two assists through three games.
Marner, on the other hand, has been having one heck of a playoff run with Vegas. The 29-year-old winger has recorded seven goals and 14 assists for 21 points to lead all scorers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Not only that, if the Golden Knights make it all the way, there’s no question that Marner will be among the favourites to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP as well.
So why couldn’t Marner be doing this during his time with the Maple Leafs? Some had speculated that perhaps facing lesser competition in the Western Conference, it enabled him to roam the ice more freely to be at his most effective state. However, the Avalanche are a former Cup-winning squad filled with stars and talented players. So with Marner and his Golden Knights team still producing against a juggernaut like Colorado, the lesser competition stance becomes nullified.
So perhaps playing under the pressure for a team that hadn’t won a Stanley Cup in what will be 60 years and counting now placed a lot of weight on his shoulders, making it difficult to perform exceptionally well under such circumstances. But in Vegas, where the media and spotlight is considerably less, he could focus solely on his game and be at his absolute best as a result.
Nevertheless, for those that were a fan of Marner, they are likely glad that he has finally found his playoff mojo in getting a legitimate shot at the Cup this season. But for those that are just fans of the Maple Leafs, they must now feel the agonizing pain once again as another former Leaf leaves the organization and has a chance at winning it all, joining the likes of Nazem Kadri, Tyler Bozak, and of course, who can forget Phil Kessel and his trifecta during the past decade and a half.
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